Max Verstappen opens up on balancing F1 success with family priorities, hinting at a future less dominated by motorsport.
Max Verstappen still leaves uncertainty surrounding his medium- or long-term future in F1.
The Dutchman will certainly not pursue a career like Lewis Hamilton or Fernando Alonso, but the Red Bull driver has yet to decide when to call time on his career at the pinnacle of motorsport.
For now, he wants to enjoy it, though family is beginning to take on greater importance for him and will be a factor to consider in the not-so-distant future.
“I love F1, I have a contract until 2028. After that, I don’t want to think about it yet. A lot can happen. But for now, I’m very happy where I am,” he told F1’s official website.
This reflects another strength of Verstappen: he never gets carried away with long-term planning, something that used to frustrate his father when he was younger and climbing the racing ladder.
“It’s a discussion I always had with my dad when I was a kid. I’d always say, ‘We’ll see,’ and my dad didn’t understand. ‘What do you mean, we’ll see? That’s not an approach.’ And I’d reply, ‘But it’s mine!’
“I don’t like stressing. I don’t like overthinking or overcomplicating things. I know when I get into the kart or the car. Once my helmet is on, I’m fully focused. That’s how I stay sane, I guess! I’m just very relaxed and calm about it. I don’t want to fry my brain with too many thoughts about how I can influence certain things.”
“Now he understands, and it’s all good. I needed to be pushed when I was a kid, and my dad definitely did that. I’m very glad he did because it made me the driver I am today.”
“I’m very happy with how my life in racing started, all the way to F1. Sometimes, I was a bit lazy, but my father made me understand what we were doing and why it mattered. I’m very grateful for how we grew up and how we reached the top.”
Today, Verstappen is seeking a better balance between F1 and his personal life, especially as he prepares to become a father for the first time.
“What works for me is that when I’m home, I don’t think about F1 unless I have to go to the factory. Of course, it’s always there in the back of my mind – but it’s very important to disconnect.”
“If I think about F1 every day, I’ll burn out. It’s impossible. For me, it just doesn’t work.”
“It’s important to have different challenges in life as well. I’m very busy with sim racing, and it’s a great distraction from F1. I want that to be a success too. Being constantly involved with young talent is very exciting.”
“When I go to the factory, I dedicate all my time to the team, finding improvements – and of course during race weekends. But it’s important to have something else in your life to focus on – beyond just a normal family life.”
Stacking up wins and titles has been a bonus for Verstappen since 2021. But where does the bonus end? At eight world titles, a record yet to be achieved?
“That would be incredible, but it’s not really necessary.”
“I know I can’t do this forever. I love racing, competing at the highest level with so many incredible drivers, but there will come a day when I’ll want to relax a bit more. You only live once.”
“When you’re in your late thirties or early forties, your body naturally starts to decline. Sure, I could spend that decade in F1, but I also want to do other things. I want to maximize my life on this planet.”
“There are so many other things I want to do in life, have some fun, and reconnect with my family. Sometimes now, my mother or father calls me, and I’m busy, so I say I’ll call them back later – but I also know there will come a day when they won’t call anymore because they won’t be here.”
“Those moments make me realize that it’s not all about F1. I want to spend time with them because, since I was four years old, our entire life – my family’s life – has been about me, about success, and about trying to reach F1. At some point, that’s enough, and you need to give back and spend more time with them.”
“In the end, that’s far more important than any success in F1. It’s great, I love it, I love being competitive, winning championships, and winning races, but at some point, family comes first because people grow older, and you really need to cherish those moments.”
“For now, I’m very happy with what I’m doing. I’ll try to keep doing it as long as I enjoy it and feel it’s worth it.”
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Max Verstappen: Racing Forever? “Not For Me” Max Verstappen: Racing Forever? “Not For Me” Max Verstappen: Racing Forever? “Not For Me”
